Clothes-line holder.



No. 746,171. .PATENTED DE0'.s,'1903.

- W. P. SAMPSON.

CLOTHES -LINE HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 14, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM P. SAMPSON, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

Patented December 8, 1903.

I PATENT OFFICE.

CLOTHES-LINE HOLDER.

} SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 746,171, dated December 8, 1903. Application filed March 14,1902. Serial No. 98,151. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM'P. SAMPSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson, in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Line Holders, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.-

My invention relates to improvements in clothes-line holders; and my invention consists in certain features of novelty hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claim.

Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a clothes-line holder embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of the same. Fig. .3 represents a detail front elevation, somewhat enlarged and partly broken away; showing the eccentric mounting of the serrated clamp by which the line is secured.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

1 represents a bracket adapted to be fixedly secured upon a post or the side of a building.

. 2 represents a segment eccentrically pivoted upon said bracket and having its periphery serrated, as shown at 3, said serrations being oppositely inclined from the center of the arc, as shown. The pivotal point of said segment upon the bracket lies between the center of the arc and the circumference, by which arrangement said segment is eccentrically 'mounted upon the bracket with relation'to the seat hereinafter described, such mounting being an important feature of the invention, as will appear. Upon said bracket is provided a boss 4, forming a seat 5, between which and said serrated segment the line will be engaged.

6 represents a movable guard provided with a weighted end '7, pivotally mounted upon said boss and adapted to be turned aside to permit the introduction or removal of the line upon its seat;

In operation the guard is moved aside and the line placed upon the seat under the segment. The latch then being released by action of the weight will resume and retain its position to retain the line upon the seat until taken hold of by the serrations of the segment.

Then the line being drawn over the seat until stretched to a suitable extent, the segment is turned into engagement therewith and the line securely clamped upon the seat. The serrations on said segment being inclined in opposite directions from the center of the arc, it is apparent that whichever way the line is drawn'through or over the seat and whichever direction the strainupon the line it will be clamped with equal effect by the segment, and the segment being eccentrically mounted or having its pivotal point between the center and circumference of the segmental are it is manifest that as the segment is turned upon its axis the extremities approach nearer to the seat than the center, so that whether a small or large line be used secure engagement and clamping by the segment will be effected. This feature is of manifest importance for the reason that, as must be borne in mind,

clothes-lines vary in size, and the device to secure them must be so constructed that secure engagement of either the small or large line may be effected.

l I am aware that a clothes-line holder in which a serrated segment is employed to retain the line by clamping it upon a seat is not new; but so far as I am aware in such holders the pivotal point of the segment is at the center of the arc, in which case it is mani fest that the device would be efiective only with a single size of line, for it is manifest that if the space between the seat and segment were sufficient to receive a large line a small line would not be retained by engagement of the segment therewith, and if adapted to a small line a large line could not be used therewith.

Having thus fully described my improvements, what I claim as my invention, and de sire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a clothes-line holder, the combination with a bracket, and a seat on said bracket, of a segment eccentricallypivoted to the side ofsaid bracket, said segment havingserrations on its periphery and cooperating with said seat, and a movable weighted guardpivoted to the side of said seat normally in upright position to prevent but capable of being moved to permit the introduction or removal of a rope or the like from said seat.

WILLIAM P. SAMPSON. Witnesses:

O. A. LUCAS, NATHAN PENNELL. 

